Virtual storage

1.1.3 Input, output and storage

Input, output and storage — Note 4 of 4

Candidates need to understand why there is a need for virtual storage, how virtual storage works and the benefits and drawbacks of using virtual storage. Virtual storage would be that which may appear to be local but is physically located elsewhere on the network/remotely/in the cloud.

What you need to know

Virtual storage appears to the user as if it were a local drive, but is physically located elsewhere, on a network, on remote servers or in the cloud. It lets organisations pool storage and lets users access files from different devices.

What to know

Examples: cloud storage services, network-attached storage (NAS) and storage area networks (SAN) that combine many physical drives into one logical pool.
Benefits: accessible from any device and location; capacity can easily be increased; storage can be shared; backups and maintenance are handled centrally or by the provider.
Drawbacks: needs a network or Internet connection; access is slower than local storage; data is held by a third party, raising security and privacy concerns; ongoing costs.

Key terms

Exam tipCommon mistake

Virtual storage: Storage that appears to be local to the user but is physically located elsewhere on a network, remotely or in the cloud.
Exam tip: Do not confuse virtual STORAGE with virtual MEMORY. Virtual memory uses part of secondary storage as an extension of RAM; virtual storage makes remote storage look local.

Exam technique

Tip:Apply benefits and drawbacks to the scenario, e.g. 'staff can open the same project files from home or the office'.

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Practise 1.1.3 questions

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